Self-contained one-bedroom flat in London's vibrant Hoxton neighbourhood

Description

The flat is my home – I am a visual artist, writer and curator, and have lived here in the vibrant Hoxton area of London's East End for the past twenty years or so. The flat It is one of twelve self-contained, one-bedroom flats in a low-rise, social housing estate block surrounded by gardens. The flat is on the third floor and is accessed via two flights of stairs. The accommodation is basic but comfortable. It has a bedroom, a living room that opens into the kitchen, and a small hallway leading to a bathroom and a toilet. My large library lines two of the walls, and an upright Yamaha electric piano is available for use. The kitchen has a gas oven, washing machine and fridge-freezer, and the central heating system warms the flat quickly. The floors are wooden throughout, giving the space a modern, clean, but lived-in feeling. There are some aspects of the flat that are not entirely up-to-date – for instance there is no shower, although there is a bath. It's all charmingly tatty in a way that most creatives would feel entirely comfortable in, and would indeed warm to. And so if you're looking for a slick apartment with highly finished modern design, then this is probably not for you. Rather it’s a quiet, comfortable space suitable for creative single occupants or a sharing couples. I’d be happy to conduct a video tour of the flat if required. The flat is located directly opposite (and has views of) a beautiful community garden called St. Mary's Secret Garden. The latter is an oasis of calm, inclusion and biodiversity. The garden is currently open two days a week (Wednesdays & Thursdays). The last time that I checked, it was close enough to receive my domestic wifi signal, so you can make a coffee and go and sit in the garden with your laptop! The flat itself has high speed internet and wifi. Hoxton itself is situated at the hinge between the City of London and East London. The area evolved from a district of workshops and warehouses and remains home to a large community of artists and designers. It is a lively cultural quarter and hasn’t lost its local character. Five minutes away is a large public green space called Haggerston Park, and just to the north runs Regent’s Canal where many of the city’s boat-dwellers anchor up alongside picturesque waterside eateries and pubs. In fact, the whole area is animated by an ecology of cafés, restaurants, music venues, galleries, and small businesses. There’s a lot of street art to be seen – groups taking walking tours of the many now-famous street-artworks are a frequent spectacle. Hoxton’s scale and accessibility makes it feel quite village-like. Most of the area's best-known attractions are within walking distance: Columbia Road Flower Market, Broadway Market, Regents Canal, Brick Lane, and Spitalfields Market. The flat has excellent public transport links, the most efficient of which is Hoxton Overground station, which is just a three minutes walk away from the flat. The station will quickly link you to other major Underground and Overground lines that will allow you to travel with ease across London in any direction. Similarly, several major bus routes run nearby, enabling you to access all of the central London universities and research centres with ease.